Getting to Know you
by Lauriena
Summary: Bobby shows up again a month after Harper joins the crew of the maru (hitting, fighting, lots of angst and harper owies
1. the meeting

Disclaimer- "Creativity is taking someone else idea, and changing it slightly. There are no new creative ideas."- (quoted from my aunt who quoted it from somewhere else) In other words Andromeda and all its characters belong to someone else and I am just borrowing them.  
  
~~~~*~~~~  
  
Harper stood in the main camber of the Maru; he guessed you would call it the command deck. He ran his hands along the pilot chair. So much had changed in the pass two days. He was off earth and in space. He was still getting use to the feeling of being in space. There was so much that he wasn't use to; the constant hum of the engine and the slight vibration and movement he could feel in his feet, the lack of wind bothered him the most. The prison he had spent the past months in had no breezed either. There people had been crammed in so close that the air was so stale and hot. Sometimes it felt like he wasn't get enough and was going to suffocate. He took at deep breath trying to calm his racing heart. Every time he thought of that place. No more thinking of there, he was out of that hell hole. He would never go back.  
  
"Hey Kid," Harper jumped at the sound of Beka's voice and looked up at his new owner. His debt to Bobby had been paid but he knew he was still not free. This women owned him now, until she dumped him on the nearest space rock. "You ok Kid?"  
  
"Yes Miss," Harper replied quickly looking at the floor. Never make eye contact that was the first rule of the camps; the second was always say sir and ms forgetting either got you a beating. Forget them enough you didn't get up from the beating.  
  
"Don't call me Miss, call me Beka"  
  
"Yes, Miss Rebecca"  
  
"BEKA not miss, or Miss Rebecca, or Miss Beka, just Beka, no one calls me miss. I was never proper or much of a lady, now or growing up. Heck I don't think I even own a dress right now"  
  
"Yes, M..."  
  
"BEKA"  
  
"I'm sorry, miss, some things are just engrained I feel weird calling you by your first name, miss."  
  
"Fine call me something else, captain, boss, I don't know anything but miss."  
  
"Yes, M…Boss"  
  
Beka looked down at her new crew member. Where had Bobby found this kid? It seemed wrong to just dump him out an air lock after he had saved their tails. He had proven he knew his machines and was handy with a nano- welder. To keep him or not? She needed another hand now that Bobby was off her ship. Bobby lied, so he was off the ship. Her rules were simple and therefore if you broke one you were given no second chances. Someone had worked this Harper kid over pretty well. He never looked up at her and the whole miss thing. He was right some things were engrained but it looked like that lesson had been beaten into the tiny teen. At least she thought he was a teenager, he could still get the child rate on some transports he was so thin and short.  
  
"So, Harper right?"  
  
"That's my name, well Seamus Zelazny Harper, but everyone calls me Harper."  
  
  
  
"That's quite a name. Anyways Harper the rules on my ship are simple, don't lie to me, don't go behind my back, and don't even think about doing damage to the ship or me. You do any of these things and you're out of here, just like Bobby. I don't care how good you are with a nano-welder or who you are, you break my rules your gone."  
  
"Got it Boss"  
  
"Alright let's get you settled in; your in command right now, crew's quarters are down the hall, next to the main room. Most of the time it's the mess but it also works as medical and any other room besides command in your average ship. There's also engineering and my quarters. Everything else is mainly storage and hallways. Stick to your quarters, and the mess. Only go to engineering or command when you are needed there. Got it?"  
  
"Ya boss"  
  
"Good, you hungry?"  
  
"Ya boss"  
  
"Well let's get some food in you before I see how well you do with a nano- welder in engineering."  
  
Beka lead Harper down the hall to the mess. She couldn't help to notice that he walked two feet behind and one foot to the left of her with his head hung low. It looked like calling people miss and sir were not the only engrained habit of living on earth. She was used to the ruff neck crew members her father hired, not one of them ever called her miss. Often it was missy, honey, babe, sweet cake, and well that was the "nice" ones. Of course she also knew never to be alone a room with most, no all of Dad's old shipmates. She grew up sleeping in a storage closet with the door locked, and gun under the pillow. Before she was old enough to carry a gun she use to string a trip wire across the door every night and sack old sharp ship parts in front of it. It normally slowed down the person long enough for her to hide.  
  
Harper was a different story. He was not much younger than her but he treated her, well like she had the power of life and death over him. He was so jumpy like he was waiting for a smack for saying the wrong thing. She would swear she saw him wince when she tried to shake his hand when he can on board.  
  
~~~~*~~~~  
  
  
  
"Hey kid slow down, that has to last us till the next space station."  
  
"Yes, Boss. Sorry, Boss."  
  
"It's ok. But you might want to slow down and taste your food for once." Harpers just nodded and begin shoveling the food on his plate into his mouth at a slightly slower pace. The Maru had plenty of food but Beka was always amazed at the rate Harper ate. It was almost a month since Harper had come aboard. He still ate hunched over his food, one hand on his plate the other on his fork at all times. If there was a drink he kept the cup in the cruk of the elbow holding the plate. If Beka had wanted take any of his food it would be a fight. Beka wondered how often on earth had his food been snatched away from him. First he would shovel the food into his mouth as fast as possible, then chug whatever drink was there and then clear his dishes and go back to work. Food breaks took less then five minutes with him. It was as if each meal he ate was his last.  
  
Even though there was plenty of food half of the meal always was wrapped in his napkin and careful snuck into his pocket. He was careful to have Beka not see it. If she wasn't use to watching for people pocketing parts she would have missed it. It was the only thing she could tell that he took from her. Food was expendable a good engineer well they were harder to find. The kid had fixed everything she had asked him to. The repair costs he was saving her more then made up for the food. Besides they would be at the space station in a week.  
  
~~~~*~~~~ (week later)  
  
  
  
The space station was cram with people. The usual wall the wall of bodies told you the place was just wealthy enough to be free and just poor enough to have to watch yourself wherever you went. Beka weaved in and out of the crowd with Harper close on her tail. She needed new pipes for the coolant system. Harper had repaired some of then but there was no way the repair ones would last them through their next shipment. He was so apologetic when he told her this that she had started laughing.  
  
"It's ok," she had told him. "I didn't think you could keep this ship running on spare parts forever." The relieved look on his face showed that he expected to get at least one good hit for asking for new parts. Beka was amazed the stuff Harper had managed to build and repair.  
  
His timid nature was getting on her nerves though. He always asked before he did anything. She was waiting for him to ask permission to breathe when he first came on board. He was better he was starting to learn his way around the ship. What he could and couldn't use. He wouldn't step a foot out of line right now. She was amazed it was the two of them alone on the ship and he never seemed to figure out that he stood a chance in a physical fight. Maybe it was his small figure. He had started to put on some weight after coming on board. She could see the hints of muscles forming on his arms for the hard work. There was still no fat on his whole body, but he looked less like a starving twelve year old these days. He was starting to look like he was in his late teens. She had tried in vain to get Harper to tell her his age but it switched daily. He always claimed to be over 18 and younger than 25 but he said every age in-between.  
  
She glanced behind her and spotted Harper again. He was a few feet behind her, head held down. He would be hard to miss in the large crowd if you didn't know who you were looking for. His whole outfit and manner blended in perfectly.  
  
Beka was so busy studying Harper's manner in the crowd the she ran straight into another person. She turned forwards to mutter an apology when she felt the persons strong arms wrap around her. She tensed for the fight to come and snaked her right hand down to the gun on her side, when she the man push his lips roughly into her. She looked straight into the face in front of her and gave a startled gasp.  
  
"Bobby!" She cried though her closed lips. 


	2. the accident

A/N- Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I got the message no more cliffhangers (hehehe)  
  
Warning- (should have put this in the first section sorry) this story deals with controlling relationships and abuse has a little kissing and some umm other stuff (maybe).  
  
~~~~*~~~~  
  
Harper froze in the crowd as he watched the scene in front of him. He saw Bobby step in front of Beka as she turned in the crowd. He saw him grab her. Harper sped up his pace. Harper knew men like Bobby had no problems beating a woman if she got in his way. No one in this crowd would ever stop to help a stranger so Harper knew it was up to him. He might last long enough to let Beka get away. As he came up from behind Bobby pulled Beka towards him and kiss her on the lips. Harper saw her eyes widen as she recognized him and then start to melt into his arms. They broke apart and Harper slowly approached them from behind standing a short enough distance away that he was forgotten but not too far away that he couldn't see and hear what was happening.  
  
~~~~*~~~~  
  
Beka felt herself relax and give in to Bobby's kiss. Man she had missed him; missed his sweet kisses and their long debates over what to ship where. Harper was just another crew member, she wasn't sure if they even qualified as friends yet. But Bobby was different he had been through it all with her. He knew what the past years had been like. This was the man she had poured her soul out to on numerous occasions. She deepened the kiss and found herself enjoying the present of her former boyfriend and shipmate. Some passerby bumped into the couple breaking the kiss and bringing Beka back to reality. She took a step back from Bobby she should be mad at him. He lied to her; put her and her ship in danger. But man could he kiss and it was for a good cause. But he broke her rules he should be off the ship.  
  
"Baby how I have missed you." Bobby said breaking her train of thoughts. "I'm so sorry."  
  
"You lied to me Bobby."  
  
"I know. I should have told you the truth but you never would have done it and it was for a good cause."  
  
"A good cause I'm glad to know you put me and my ship in danger for a good cause."  
  
"I never should have done it Beka. I release how wrong I was. Could you even find it in you heart to forgive me? I don't deserver it but I see my mistake now and I will never go behind your back again."  
  
"Bobby you broke the rules"  
  
"I know, but someone once told me 'rules were made to be broken'"  
  
"Not my rules"  
  
"But Beka this is me, and you and me had something special. Don't you miss that?" Beka soon discovered that through the whole conversation Bobby had been moving closer to her and now had his arms wrapped around her waist. She started to break away but it felt so good.  
  
~~~~*~~~~  
  
  
  
Harper could see that Beka was falling to Bobby's charms. It looked like rules or no rules Bobby was coming back to the ship. With Bobby back Harper knew he was out. Should he slip off into the crowd now or wait. Beka was a strong woman. He had learned a lot about her in the last month on the ship.  
  
Beka was strong but she also had a big heart. A few weeks ago he managed to shatter a part and cut-up his hand pretty good while they were both in command. When she saw what happen she rushed over to him but instead of the hit and lecture all his other bosses would have given him, she brought him up to the main room and cleaned a bandaged his hand. She never mentioned the destroyed part and didn't let him work for the rest of the day. The two of them just sat in the main room talking. Without Bobby around this had been the best job Harper had even had. A roof and food for engineering services, sure the situation wasn't new but the working conditions… well he had almost stopped ducking every time Beka raised her hand when they were working together.  
  
Bobby was another story. He was just like every other boss Harper had ever had. He pulled him out of that prison with the deal that he would break in and steals the missiles. The whole time they were together Harper found himself ducking and avoiding Bobby and his temper. But Beka had to know all this. She was smart enough to see through Bobby's charms. At least Harper hoped she was. He would stay. Nothing on this space station would be any better. And maybe Bobby wasn't as bad when Beka was around.  
  
"Please Beka," Bobby begged. "I know I don't deserver it or but I love you and I miss you and please take me back Beka…"  
  
"Alright Bobby," with that Beka wrapped her arms around Bobby's neck and planted a kiss on his lips.  
  
With that kiss Harper knew that he was facing a new life on the Maru. The cushy times were over. Maybe it wouldn't be that bad. Beka was too strong to fall for a guy like Bobby forever.  
  
~~~~*~~~~ (week later)  
  
  
  
Harper turned off the nano-welder for a second to wipe the sweat off of his forehead. He had been working on the slipdrive all day. He had lost track of time which wasn't a new thing on the Maru but normally Beka came wandering in every hour or two to talk to him and tell him to take a break. He missed her way of just showing up with a can of sparky cola when he was getting tired of working. It was so different to have someone who cared for him. Sure his parents and Brendan always took care of him but no one outside of the family cared if he lived or died. Beka was a different story but she had been busy in the arms of Bobby for the last week. She showed up long enough to give him a list of repairs and then inspect them at the end of the day. Other than that she was always off with Bobby. Debating over where to go next, whatever next shipment Bobby wanted Beka clearly didn't want to do it but Bobby it seemed was wearing her down. All his talks about a noble cause and helping the struggling rebels, as a former struggling rebel he doubted it.  
  
With a sigh Harper jerked his head so his goggles fell back into place and turned his nano-welder back on. Their next shipment was Beka's choice not his. The drive was in pretty good shape but Harper wanted to get it running better for the next shipment. Beka was a good pilot but hard on the engines. The better they started out the less repair work there would be later. Over the hum of the welder he heard footsteps. Again he turned off the welder and looked to see who was coming. Before the person came into view he hear Bobby's voice  
  
"Why did you stop?"  
  
"Just seeing who was coming. I'll get right back to work."  
  
"See that you do this is no free ride mudfoot." Harper nodded and turned back to the drive. He was going to start up the welder again when Bobby grabbed him and pulled him out of the hole Harper was working in. Harper's head met with one of the pipes and he had to bite his tongue to keep for crying out. Bobby pulled him to a standing position and whipped Harper around so they were standing face to face. Harper could smell the liquor on Bobby's breath. "You listening to me Mudfoot."  
  
"Yes, sir, I heard you, sir"  
  
"Good, don't let me catch you disrespecting me again." Harper nodded his head which wasn't good enough for Bobby. He grabbed the front of Harper's shirt, "I said don't disrespect me mudfoot."  
  
"Yes, sir," Harper planted his feet on the deck ready to run the moment Bobby let him go. This was going to get ugly fast.  
  
"Boby, let go of Haper" A drunk Beka called walking into engineering. Bobby let go of Harper and pushed him to the deck. He felt his head connect with another pipe as he fell. The started to fade out and he felt what felt like a warm substance flowing down his neck. He heard Beka yelling a Bobby. His last though was maybe it would have been better to have stayed on the station.  
  
~~~*~~~  
  
"Bobby, what are you doing?" You beat up the crew and we don't have a crew. He's the best damn engineer I have found…"  
  
"I found him Beka. He's mine."  
  
"No he's my crew, just like you."  
  
"He's a mudfoot he's nothing like me."  
  
"Bobby what's gotten into you?"  
  
"Nothing, listen let's not ague."  
  
"Yeah you're right, help me get him up."  
  
"He'll be fine."  
  
"Bobby he is bleeding all over the deck. At least grab me the med kit."  
  
"Here, why do you care about a useless mudfoot?"  
  
"He isn't a mudfoot anymore." With that Bobby threw the med kit from the wall in the general direction of Beka. She picked up the kit and started bandaging the back of the kid's head. He had a small cut on the back of his head. It didn't look too bad. Although right now Beka head was swimming. She shouldn't have drunk that whole bottle of wine with Bobby at dinner. But they were talking and one thing lead to another. What had he done to piss Bobby off like that? Harper never seemed to say anything to Bobby when Beka was around. Well what was she talking about he never talked. When he did he just rambled but never really told you anything. Beka had gotten use to the mindless chatter when it was just the two of them on the Maru. It seemed to fill the empty spaces after Bobby left. Well he must have pissed him off pretty well; it took a lot to get Bobby mad, most of the time.  
  
~~~*~~~  
  
The first thing Harper felt was the soft warmth of a bed on the Maru. The second thing was the pounding headache he had that almost seemed to out weight the burning feeling at the base of his skull. He started to lift his head up and then his head decided it wasn't such a good idea.  
  
He decided to start small and open his eyes. The light in the room wasn't too bright. He wasn't in the crew quarters or the main room. The only other place on the Maru with a bed he knew of was Beka's quarters. Why was he in Beka's quarters? Yesterday came back to him. Guess it was closer to engineering although the jester was not lost on him. As he looked around he was having trouble deciding which was less painful squinting and having his head pound, or just having his eyes open and let them be added to his list of aches and pains when he heard Beka's voice.  
  
"So your finally awake kid?" Her voice was husky. Apparently last nights liquor had faded off and left her with one hell of a hangover. That was sort of how he felt right now. Too bad he hadn't had the up to come with the down.  
  
"Yeah," Harper said surprised how horse his voice was. He cleared his throat and tried again. "I'm up. How long was I out for?"  
  
"All last night and half of this morning. Had me worried. What did you do to piss him off?"  
  
"Nothing," through the fog of his headache he could see Beka's doubting look. Clearly she sided with Bobby on this one. Although she had patched him up and put him in her bunk. She had been waiting for him to wake-up; maybe she was just trying to figure out what happened. "I swear boss I did nothing."  
  
"Harper, Bobby just doesn't going around beating up my crew."  
  
"Whatever you say Boss, but I haven't been lying in this bed for a day and a half because I slammed my own head into the slip-drive."  
  
"Listen I know Bobby and I know he didn't mean to hurt you. It was an accident, heat of the moment type of thing. Forgive and forget." Harper did his best not to sigh. Clearly Beka would never see what really happened. She was rather trashed at the time. He had never seen her drink before. Although it's not he not drank anything in the past month either. He just wondered. The hardest substance they had on the ship was sparky cola and coffee. Some told him both him and Beka could use a cup of that right now.  
  
"Yeah I'm sure it won't happen again." Harper tried to cover the sarcasm in his voice as he lifted his head off the bed and tried to sit up. He stopped as he felt the world going black again but it stopped and he felt Beka's hands on his back keeping him from falling backwards into the bed.  
  
"Careful, we still have repairs that need to be done before our job." Harper tried not to groan. He could barely lift his head not to mention a tool. The wiring of the Maru was so pieced together it was a fun challenged most days but today he didn't know if he could managed figuring it all out with his head pounding like this. He was more likely to fry the ships electrical systems on a day like this then repair them.  
  
"I'll get right on that boss." Harper said starting to move his feet off the side of his bed.  
  
"Not right now. You are barely sitting up straight. Wait a day. Bobby is working on finishing up some of the repairs." Beka was now sitting on the bed next to him supporting most of his weight, one arm around his back, the other on his arm.  
  
"Thanks boss."  
  
"Sure if I kill you I lose the only engineer who has ever managed to fit in every nook and cranny this place has. You want something to eat?"  
  
"Yeah I guess so."  
  
"Think you could make it to the mess."  
  
"No breakfast in bed?"  
  
"Not in the middle of the afternoon."  
  
"Beka's it's the middle of space how do you know if it is morning or the middle of the day."  
  
"After a while you just do, come on you have to work for you food."  
  
"But I thought you said repairs…"  
  
"I meant you have to walk to the mess if you want to eat. We aren't going to hurt you here. Bobby really isn't like that." Harper slowly stood with Beka's help and started walking towards the main room. He had no sense of balance so Beka had to keep him from falling. When they got to the main room Beka sat him down in one of the chairs at the table. Harper put his elbows on the table and began to rub his temples. His head hurt and he knew that this was no accident. This was going to get worst before it got better it always did. 


	3. the conversations

A/N- Oh yeah I did remember after I posted that last chapter that Beka says in one episode she never drinks or did drugs because of her dad. But we are going to ignore that because this is AU and someone once said "all fanfics are at least slightly AU." Also I am a first year nursing major who is getting (currently) a D in anatomy so basically I know nothing about medicine… so ya. ~Lauriena  
  
Here you go parisindy  
  
Warning- story may contain kicking, hitting, smacking, fighting, swearing, throwing up, biting, kissing, racist langue and whatever else I throw in  
  
Disclaimer- I'm in college, I own nothing!!!  
  
~~~*~~~  
  
"Come on kid you need to eat." Beka never thought she would have to tell the human vacuum otherwise known as Harper to eat. It was two days since he woke-up but he hadn't been able to keep anything down since then.  
  
"Beka, I am so dizzy that this is just going to come up again."  
  
"You don't know that"  
  
"Yes I do Beka," Harper gave the food a strange look that told Beka he was never going to eat it.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"You want to know why I don't want to eat this." Beka just nodded. "Pasta feels gross when it comes back up, like worms."  
  
"And you know what it feels like to barf up worms?" Harper picked through the food on his plate and looked up with only his eyes giving Beka a half smile. "You've eaten worms?"  
  
"And worst."  
  
"I think I am the one who's going to be sick." Harper's face dropped, his hand went to his stomach and he gave Beka a look she had begun to know too well in the past days. "Spoke to soon." With that she ran to the other side of the table and help Harper walk down the hall. She was still carrying most of his weight when they walked. She got him to the bathroom in time and watched as he emptied the little she had managed to make him eat in the last two hours. She filled up a cup with water and handed it to him when he was done.  
  
"Thanks, for everything." He said rinsing out his mouth with the water and taking a slow sip of the water.  
  
"Hey I take care of my crew" Harper just looked at the water in the cup swirling the remaining liquid around. "It was an accident, you know that Harper" In her heart Beka believed that Bobby just lost his temper, it was a rare thing, it wasn't going to happen again. Bobby just wasn't like that.  
  
"Yeah boss" His sarcasm was not lost on Beka this time.  
  
"Harper…"  
  
"I know boss, Bobby didn't mean to lose his temper at me for nothing, and then accidentally slam my head into the slipdrive leaving me unconscious. Then have the resulting damage and infection turning me into a fainting, dizzy, puking mess…" Harper yelling was ended quickly when he began dry heaving over the toilet again. It ended with a coughing fit that shook his small body and when he was done he just leaned back on the wall waiting for the next wave. Beka slid down the wall so she was now sitting on the floor next to him. He didn't have much weight to lose but whatever he had gained in the past month was now gone. Sweat drenched his clothes and he was so clearly scared of Bobby. But Bobby wasn't like that. Was he? He was so loving and kind to her. Why would he be any different to Harper?  
  
"It will be ok kid; I'm not going to let anything happen to you." Harper sighed and leaned his head back against the cool metal of the wall. Beka protected her crew; Harper was going to have to learn that.  
  
  
  
~~~*~~~  
  
  
  
"Bobby he is running a high fever, there's no way he can do those repairs right now."  
  
"The mudfoot is faking it Beka, mooching off you, me and this whole ship. The mutt can work, it just doesn't want to."  
  
"Bobby he hasn't gotten out bed in the last week."  
  
"It's a mudfoot Beka; it is always going to be sick."  
  
"You don't know that."  
  
"I know its type."  
  
"And what is his type?"  
  
"A sick, lying, stupid little mudfoot, they'll steal anything and everything."  
  
"Bobby Harper's not like that."  
  
"That's what you think Beka. That mudfoot is just charming it's slimy body into your bed. Oh wait it's been there for the past week. I would burn those sheets if I were you. You never know what diseases those earthlings got."  
  
"Bobby what's gotten into you?"  
  
"Nothing"  
  
"It has to be something you never have acted like this before."  
  
"Don't want to talk about it Beka"  
  
"Fine, we'll talk later. I have to go down to the planet to talk to our client. We've spend too long on repairs and he is thinking about backing out. I need the Maru ready to go when I get back."  
  
"If that mutt would get his lazy ass out of bed we would be fine."  
  
"Bobby enough just finishes the repairs. It shouldn't take that long and just stay away from Harper."  
  
"I'll do what I want."  
  
"Not when you are my crew on my ship."  
  
"Don't you have go down to the planet."  
  
"Yeah, try to get along with the mudfoot as you are so fond of calling him." With that Harper heard Beka move to the airlock and get in the transport pod from the surface.  
  
He had been sitting in Beka's bed listening to the whole conversation. He was getting better it was Beka who wouldn't let him out of bed. The cut on the back of his head had gotten infected, but all his cuts always did. Beka wouldn't let him work till his fever completely cleared but it was their little secret that he was feeling better. Bobby didn't need to know that he was holding down food and able to stand up straight. Harper sank down into Beka's pillows; it was just him and Bobby now. He wasn't foolish enough to think that Bobby would not come in and check to see how sick 'the mudfoot' really was. Harper had never played sick before. Sick got you in trouble. Sick was a sign of weakness. Sick got you beaten. Now not being sick was going to get him in trouble.  
  
"On your feet mudfoot." Harper bit his tongue and tried to look like he was struggling to get up. The struggle was quickly ended when Bobby grab his shirt and yanked him into a standing position. Well mutt you are going to earn your keep and finish repairing the coolant pipes before you finish my list of repairs.  
  
"But Bobby…" Harper's excuse was ended with a slap across the face that had sent him flying back onto Beka's bed  
  
"No buts mudfoot, and don't you dare call me Bobby. You may have her fooled but not me. I know what you are really like. I'm the one that found you that hole crawling around with the rest of the rats. I'm the one that bought you from the slave traders. I'm the one that owns you. Don't you ever forget that."  
  
"Yes sir." Bobby was never going to forget that he bought him. At the time he said Harper would get his freedom when he helped him get the missiles, but he clearly had forgotten that promise. He was still just property in Bobby's eyes. That was a dangerous position to be in, property didn't have feelings, get hurt, need rest, or food. It was just like being back on earth.  
  
"That's better, don't think I don't see what your doing, playing the poor weak mudfoot, making Beka feel all sorry for you. Well I see right through that act. You mudfoots are all the same. Now get up, you have work to do." Harper pulled himself out of the bed. His face was burning and he could feel a bruise already forming. If he wasn't careful he was going to have another 'accident' before the day was out.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N- Thanks to everyone who reviewed. I'm sorry it's so short, I have a ton of school work but I promise the moment I have some free time. 


	4. the debate

Hey guys, Raven- don't you dare scrap you next story. I want to read it, your writing is so much better than mine. Fanficaddict- ick I am so sorry. Parisindy- well you know what I am going to say Danielle- I got the message… JK Everyone else (spooky-girl, morningstar, bolo, X, Amelia, Nicki, Mary Rose, julz, Candulasia Curtis, robinyj, Hebe, and anyone I forgot) -thanks so much for reviewing, it means so much to hear your feedback. Oh and if there is anything you don't like tell me so I can improve!  
  
  
  
~~~*~~~  
  
Harper got out of the bed slowly, reminding himself that he was sicker than he appeared. Sick and weak, basically how he normally felt. "Speed it up mudfoot!"  
  
"Yes, sir" This was going to be a long day. Bobby led Harper down to Engineering and stood in the door way pointing at the coolant system.  
  
"Let's see what a great engineer you are. Fix that before I get back." With that Bobby left the room. With no time limit Harper assumed he had no time. He hunted around for some tools and found them over by the slipdrive, near repairs that where obviously Bobby's handy work. Not even close to the master welding of 'Harper the semi great' he thought with a grin. Not even close to Beka average welding. Now on to the coolant pipes, Harper dived into the system picking through the pipes and looking for the holes, weaken pipes and other signs of damage. He was so engrossed in his work he didn't hear Bobby's foot-steps behind him about an hour later.  
  
"You're not done mudfoot." Harper jumped slipping with the knife he was using to strip some wires and nicking his thumb. He turned around with his mouth open ready to tell Bobby off. He then found himself putting his thumb into his mouth to stop himself and the bleeding. He flicked his thumb out and took in a deep breath. He had to stay alive till Beka got back. He wouldn't get freedom if he was dead.  
  
"I'm almost done. Just a little bit more."  
  
"Don't you lie to me boy. You should have had the repairs done by now. You have fifteen minutes."  
  
"I'm going to need more time then that." His words were met by a slap across the face. It was right across the bruise where he had been hit earlier that day. Harper open and closed his jaw feeling trying to relive the pain.  
  
"Don't you disrespect me mutt. I say fifteen minutes you will have it done in fifteen minutes. Don't you ever talk back to me. Got that boy."  
  
"Yes, sir." Harper's words were met by another slap. Harper slowly brought his head back to face Bobby and looked him straight in the eyes, braceing himself for another slap. He would survive that though. He just had to be careful that he lasted till Beka got back.  
  
"Did I say you could talk to me mudfoot?" Ok talking was a bad thing check. Talk when permission was granted he could do that. "Now you have only five minutes. Get to work boy."  
  
Harper hesitated wondering if moving before Bobby left was disrespectful or not getting straight to work would get him another slap or worst. His question was answered by a shove that sent him crashing to the floor.  
  
"I said get to work. Didn't you hear me, mudfoot? Do you need you filthy ears boxed in?"  
  
Harper turned around and started reach out for the welder. That was the wrong move again Bobby grabbed his shoulder and spun him around while he was sitting on the floor.  
  
"Look at me when I am talking to you. Got that?"  
  
Harper just stared at the floor. "Got that?" Bobby yelled into Harper's face shaking him so hard Harper's head bounced back and forth.  
  
"Yes, sir" Harper replied. What did this manic want? If he was going to make it he had to think ahead but the swelling on his face and the growing headache made his brain foggy. He was going to make it; he was going to be free.  
  
"Good now finish this and then work on the slipdrive." The slipdrive should have been finished by now. Harper was almost done with it before the accident and Beka said Bobby had been working on it. No time to think about that; do the tasks at hand move on to the next, live for one more day. He had spent his whole life surviving he could make it through one day.  
  
Bobby left and Harper spun around on his butt to get back to the coolant system. He put the two wires he had just stripped together and soldered them together. Looks like he would have to do a quick job, there wasn't that much left but he wanted to make sure the repairs lasted. Guess he would just have to make the repairs now and later. Making Bobby happy was more important then saving time and money preventing later repairs. It took him only a few minutes to finish working on the wires and most of the pipes would last until after this run. Now to the slipdrive, few more hours and Beka would be back and Bobby would have to explain away the bruises that Harper felt on his face. Never was he so thankful he bruised easily.  
  
~~~*~~~  
  
Beka rolled her head stretching out her neck. She was tired and reeked of the bar she had met their contact in, the smells of sweat, beer, piss and smoke clung to her clothes. All she wanted to do was take a shower and curl up into her bed.  
  
Harper was well now; he could go back to the crew quarters with Bobby. If they lasted the day without killing each other they could sleep in the same room. She had always had her own room on the ship even if it was an empty supply closet with a bed. Even her and Rafe never shared rooms, sometimes, growing up, he had slept on the floor next to her bed some nights protecting her from the latest crew member, or her dad high on flash, until he left to get away from the insanity as he called it. Later she found out Dad had kicked him off the ship.  
  
No time to think about that. She had an engineer and boyfriend/first officer to check up on. She walked into engineering and was greeted by the sounds of someone crawling around the slipdrive. She turned the corner and ducked under the pipe about to plant a kiss on Bobby's lips but she found it was Harper not Bobby working on the slipdrive.  
  
They both jumped and Harper dropped the tool in his hand. He picked it up quickly not looking Beka in the face. She was sure her face was bright red. What was he doing out of bed? He was suppose to be resting and Bobby doing the repairs. What would Bobby think if he saw her and Harper kissing, even if it was an accident? It was then that she caught sight of his face. She was so surprise that he wasn't Bobby that she had missed the swollen mess that was once Harper's face.  
  
"Kid what happen to you face?"  
  
"Why don't you ask Bobby that question?"  
  
"I'm asking you Harper"  
  
"Well I am sure it was an accident, however it happened I am sure it was an accident." So she wasn't going to find out how it happened. Clearly the two of them were still not getting along. She didn't have the energy to deal with this tonight.  
  
"Seamus…"  
  
"Harper"  
  
"Come on kid don't do this, let's get some ice on your face."  
  
"Whatever" Beka took Harper's hand and led him into the main room and to one on the chairs at the table. At that moment Bobby walked into the room.  
  
"So what happened?" Beka said in a stern tone. She was tired she wasn't beating around the bush on this one, either they where going to solve this problem or one of them was leaving. Too bad she didn't know which one to kick out the airlock.  
  
"What do you mean Beka?" Bobby asked standing in the door frame.  
  
"What did you do to Harper's face? It looked normal when I left." Bobby looked at Harper and his face fell. He walked over to the boy and inspected his face, placing one hand under Harper's chin and lifting up his face. Beka didn't miss the wince when Bobby reached out for Harper's face. She thought Harper had stopped wincing when anyone touched him. Something's must still be engrained. Although Bobby was not completely gentle when he was examining Harper's face.  
  
"Well…He tripped and did a face plant into the deck earlier today. He said he was fine and it didn't look that bad." Bobby walked over to the freezer and handed Beka one of the ice packs that she kept in there.  
  
"Well he won't say how it happened, which normally means it wasn't an accident."  
  
"It was Beka, what did the mutt say, that I tripped him? Trust me Beka I wouldn't do that"  
  
"Well it's your word verses his," Beka turned to Harper and placed the ice pack under his eye were the swelling was the worst. It almost looked like a hand but she wasn't sure, it defiantly wasn't from falling. "Here keep this on your face till the swelling goes down." She turned and looked at Bobby "If we're lucky maybe you'll be able to see from that eye tomorrow" She turned back to Harper who nodded taking the ice pack from Beka. She then continued, "I'm going to go take a shower and lie down in my bed. You'll be in the crew quarters tonight, Harper. If that is ok with everybody, and you boys are not going to kill each other in the mean time." The two of them just nodded. With that Beka left.  
  
After she exited the room she sighed. What was she going to do? Was Harper dumb enough to pick a fight with Bobby? Was Bobby just beating up on Harper for no reason? Bobby had found Harper was there something about him that she knew and he didn't? Beka striped off her clothes and got into the shower. The warm water ran down her back washing away the dirt and sweat from the day. She just stood there letting the water run down her back relaxing her tense muscles. What was she going to do?  
  
  
  
~~~*~~~  
  
  
  
Harper was lying on his back in his bunk in the crew quarters. Bobby slept across from him snoring up a storm. He wished that he could join him in dreamland. What was he going to do?  
  
He could hop off the ship at the next spaceport and try to find a better life. He could stay here and hope Beka wised up and kicked Bobby off the ship. That would mean that Beka would have to side with him though and not Bobby. The two of them had been together for a while when he came on board but she did kick him out. Then again all it took was a kiss to get him back on board. In some twisted way she loved him, that was clear. What wasn't clear was how Bobby felt about her. Well it was more how much would he follow her orders. Would he just go quietly again, that was provided that Beka got over her feelings enough to see reality. What was he going to do?  
  
  
  
~~~*~~~  
  
I've had the blues, the reds and the pinks; one thing for sure; love stinks –Adam Sandler  
  
~~~*~~~  
  
You can't help who you love Derrick, you're not suppose to- save the last dance  
  
~~~*~~~  
  
Beka stood in the darkest watching the two sleeping forms in the crew quarters.  
  
One was large, strong and snoring. He had stood by her when no one else had. He had taught her love, or so she thought. But how could you love one person and hate one person so much at the same time? Bobby loved her, his kisses where intoxicating, and he had a mission. He was helping others when he lied to her. It was for a good cause. He always protected her. Was he just protecting her from Harper?  
  
Harper, the second sleeping form, he tossed and turned in the small bed grunting at unseen enemies. How could a kid that small be a threat. Beka had gone to calling him kid. He was so small and reminded her of her brother, Rafe. She missed him so much. She had to admit she had started treating Harper like her kid-brother. Was she blind to his true intentions, was he just charming his way into her heart? Was he just a lying mudfoot like Bobby; or had Bobby turned in the heartless manic that Harper made him out to be?  
  
Who should she believe? 


	5. the end

Disclaimer- I own nothing… even the plot is not original. Harper, Beka, Bobby and all that belong to Andromeda which belongs to a bunch of people. Lord of the Rings belongs to JRR Tolkien. A Child Called It is the story of David Pelzer and it belongs to him. (If you want to have you heart ripped out at the horror of child abuse read the story… I started crying while I was reading it at work)  
  
  
  
~~~*~~~  
  
Again he smiles, and gently squeezes my shoulder, "No David. You have nothing to worry about, honest. Your mother is never going to hurt you again.  
  
I lean back against the seat. A reflection from the sun hits my eyes. I turn away from the rays as a single tear runs down my cheek.  
  
"I'm free?"  
  
A Child Called It –David Pelzer  
  
~~~*~~~  
  
Harper sat under the ramp running through engineering working on the coms system. It was short circuiting again. His face was just a few fading buries from 'accidentally falling into the floor' a week ago. Beka hadn't left him and Bobby alone in the same room since. It was going to be a long haul. Harper had finally come to the decision that he was jumping ship at the next space port. Good or bad the space station couldn't be as bad as Bobby.  
  
Harper looked up as he heard the heavy pounding of boots over-head. It had to be Bobby; Beka was much lighter on her feet. Part of being a girl and part of being a good thief, she had told him a couple of her heist in the month before Bobby. She walked slower these days though, dragging her feet. It was as if the thoughts in her head where starting to get too heavy for her.  
  
"What you doing down there mutt?"  
  
"Working on the coms"  
  
"That was suppose to be done an hour ago"  
  
"Beka didn't realize how much work was evolved; she is giving me more time to finish it."  
  
"You mouthing off to me mudfoot"  
  
"No sir" Harper muttered under his breath. He was sick of being Bobby's punching bag, if the man wasn't twice his size. But everyman was twice Harper's size one of the joys of earths fine home cooking or lack there of.  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"No sir" Harper yelled out. He quickly turned back to the repairs. Where was Beka, Bobby was in one of his moods again. He was also blocking the only exit out of engineering. Harper looked up as he heard Bobby's boots land next to him. Bobby had jumped off the ramp and was now standing next to Harper.  
  
Harper scrambled to get up; he grabbed the handrail on the ramp and started to pull himself up. Bobby was too fast though and got a hold of his shirt pulling him back to the hole he was working in.  
  
"Bobby what is going on in here?" Beka yelled walking into engineering. Harper breathed a sigh of relief Beka was here the beating would be over. "I thought I told both of you to stay away from each other."  
  
"His mine Beka, I can do what I want with him."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Why don't you tell her mudfoot." Bobby said still holding Harper by the back of his shirt. "Go on tell her" he yelled shaking Harper to prove his point.  
  
"He bought me from some slave traders on earth."  
  
"And were where you when I bought you"  
  
"Prison, but it was cause they grabbed me for slave trading. I didn't do anything wrong, you have to believe me Beka. The trader just tak…" He was cut short by a slap from Bobby.  
  
"Shut up Mudfoot"  
  
"Bobby, put him down. Let's go to the mess and we can talk this out." Bobby dropped Harper who quickly scrambled up the ramp but as he got up Bobby grabbed his again. Harper felt and heard something in his arm snap. Harper's face paled and he started seeing black spots fill his vision.  
  
~~~*~~~  
  
Beka heard the crack. She had only heard that sound one other time in her life, when one of the crew hands broken Rafe's arm for mouthing off to him. It was a sound that Beka would never forget. It was like nothing else because it not just a noise but the knowledge that someone had done that damage to her brother. Without thinking she pulled her gun and pointed it at Bobby.  
  
"That's it Bobby, let go of him and the next planet, spaceport or midsize meteor we pass you're staying on.  
  
Before Beka knew what had hit her Bobby had knocked the gun out of her hand and pulled her off the ramp. She landed and fell on her butt. Bobby grabbed Beka's arm and got down into her face and yelled, "I'll do what I want to Beka. You are not thro…"  
  
  
  
~~~*~~~  
  
Bobby didn't finish as Harper jumped off the ramp hitting Bobby with flying tackle. They both went down. Bobby shoved Harper off of him and strangled his small frame punching him in the face and chest. "I'll kill you for that mudfoot"  
  
Harper looked around and saw Beka get up and run out of his field of vision. He was disappointed that she didn't come to his rescue but Bobby could easily beat both of them. He didn't blame Beka for running; it was no longer her fight. At least she was safe.  
  
Harper struggled against Bobby but he was no match for the large man. His arms where pined and he knew he was not going to be walking away from this fighting. As the darkest started to descend on him he heard the charging of a pulse pistol.  
  
~~~*~~~  
  
"Off him now Bobby" Bobby turned to look at Beka. His face held surprise like he never thought his precious Beka would turn on him. He didn't have her wrapped around his fingers as well as he thought he did. "Off him or you will not be walking off this ship." Bobby slowly stood up and turned looking at Beka with puppy dog eyes. "It's not going to work Bobby, pick him up. Carry him to mess and lay him on the cot there." Bobby slowly picked up the boy and gave Beka a disgusting look.  
  
"Why do you care, he's just a mudfoot."  
  
"I don't care where he came from. Shit, Bobby you almost kill him."  
  
"He's my property. I can do whatever I want to him."  
  
"Not anymore."  
  
"He's mine Beka there is nothing you can do about that."  
  
"You are leaving this ship and Harper behind at the next spaceport and you are never coming near us again."  
  
"How are you going to manage to keep me away?"  
  
"Simple, you damaged my crew, your slave or not, you are both members of my crew and therefore I will press charges."  
  
"They would never stick."  
  
"Look down at the mess in you arms that use to be a human, I think they will stick. I'll make sure of that. You're leaving and his papers and Harper are both staying. You got that?"  
  
"Beka don't do this. You're mad, you're not thinking straight."  
  
"No Bobby for the first time in weeks I am thinking straight."  
  
~~~*~~~  
  
"Come on Harper open your eyes." Harper stayed in the darkest for a few minutes. He was alive. He thought for sure Bobby was going to kill him with that last beating. It was bad though, his whole body was sore and he didn't want to open his eyes. "Come on kid, you can't sleep forever. We need to get out of here."  
  
Here? They weren't on the Maru? Where were they? Harper slowly opened his eyes squinting in the bright light. "Where are we?" Harper croaked out. His voice was scratchy like he had been out for a while.  
  
"We at a clinic on a planet, I flew here after the accident." Harper couldn't help letting out a groan when he heard the well used excuse. "Don't worry there isn't going to be anymore. Bobby's gone. I kicked him out."  
  
"What about…"  
  
"Don't worry about that anymore, you're free."  
  
"Free?"  
  
"Ya free, and I am looking to hire an engineer, if you are interested. I promise Harper, Bobby isn't coming back. I won't let another accident ever happen to you again. What do you say?"  
  
"Free?" Harper muttered the word again working it over in his mind. He wasn't indebted to anyone. What had Beka done for him? He was too tired to care, clearly he was still indebted to her, but she would never call in the favor. Beka wasn't that type of person. "When do we get out of here boss?"  
  
~~~*~~~  
  
  
  
"The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater." – Lord of the Rings (J.R.R. Tolkien)  
  
~~~*~~~  
  
  
  
A/N- thanks for the reviews… sorry it took so long. I have 7 more English papers to edit, a lab write-up to finish, two anatomy tests (well one's the lab final), stats hw, work, and well I hate college! 


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